Costa Rica’s Constitutional Court (Sala Constitucional in Spanish) on Monday ordered the state hospital, Hospital Calderón Guardia, to provide ambulance service to an elderly woman with a hip fracture, allowing her to travel to and from appointments at the medical centre.
The ruling follows an appeal by the woman to the Sala after the hospital refused to provide her the service, saying she was out of their “coverage area”.
Sala Magistrate Fernande Cruz said that, although it is not up to the Court to decide on the patient’s choice of transportation, it is, however, the obligation of the hospital to provide a solution to the insured with mobility problems.
The Hospital Calderón Guardia press office said it will comply with the Court order and doesn’t see a problem in providing the woman service in coordination with the Cruz Roja (Red Cross) ambulance service and private companies if necessary.
The hospital currently has four of its own ambulances.
